Powerful Words
by Wielder of paperclips
Summary: Words are powerful things. Story collection. Various characters and pairings.
1. KyouRu: Thanks

A little project that I've been working on these past few days which _will_ be updated every week (because I CAN XD). My prompt-thing was words. Some of the drabbles/one-shots don't exactly center on the word though (in my opinion)... Nevertheless, I'm a bit proud of how they came out. XP First up, a little experiment of KyouRu.

_Disclaimer_: Fruits and baskets belong to everyone, but _Furuba_ belongs to Takaya.

* * *

**Powerful Words**

-

1. **Thanks**

**-**

"Thanks."

It was just one little word and he had said it unthinkingly, with no clue as to how much it surprised her.

It was a fact that Souma Kyou was not in the habit of openly expressing gratitude – what sixteen-year-old highschool student ever was? –and it was another fact that he would rather wish himself dead than to show even the tiniest hint of it, for a slip like that would cost him a great chunk of his reputation.

Souma Kyou did NOT thank people. And that was that.

However, there was one fact that was not as well known, which explained why he could utter such a word to this particular girl, Honda Tohru.

Souma Kyou was changing for the better.

She was helping him along the way.

-

**End**

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(130)

Next: "_Hate_" -- Yuki hates Kyou. (Yuki, Kyou)


	2. Yuki, Kyou: Hate

I thought I'd try to write something in Yuki's POV as a sort of practice for roleplaying (I've been temping him over at winglica). This piece bothers me some, but, well, I tried.

_Disclaimer_: You like chedder? I like cheese! And they have nothing to do with _Fruits Basket_!

* * *

**Powerful Words**

-

2. **Hate**

**-**

Yuki hates Kyou because he thinks Kyou is utterly stupid.

If the idiot would only _look at the things right in front of him,_ then maybe they wouldn't waste so much time arguing about frivolous matters. But nooooo…. He _insists_ on being all broody and angry and disagreeable just becauseof a stupid incident between the Cat and Rat which probably took place a gazillion years ago.

'_If Tohru was the Rat, Baka Neko, would you hate her too?'_

He thinks to ask this sometimes, but he holds back because it is only a stupidity that he himself will cause and nothing good will probably come of it. Kyou is much too stupid to give him a serious answer anyway. Just as his basis for hating Yuki is shallow, so is he.

And Yuki hates him most of all because of that.

Because of his shallowness, because of his blindness, because of his UTTER STUPIDITY… he needs her _more_. In some twisted act of fate, he needs her, but he refuses to believe it – just as he refuses to see the things right in front of him.

That is why Kyou is stupid. And Yuki hates him.

-

**End**

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(197)

Next: "_Please_" -- The word that denotes politeness is never so powerful as it is when it is uttered by a woman to her beloved. (Hatori, Kana, Mayuko)


	3. Hatori, Kana, Mayu: Please

Another speculative-sounding one. This one's for all you Hatori fans out there - but a special heads up to fellow winglica rper and author, **UnspokenDreams**. Yeah, dude, it's Entity. XD

_Disclaimer_: If you claim it is mine... then in "Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar" fashion, I pass on the blame to YOU. Good luck with the angry mobs! XD

* * *

**Powerful Words**

-

3. **Please**

The word that denotes politeness is never so powerful as it is when it is uttered by a woman to her beloved. The Souma Clan doctor knew this better than anyone else.

"Tell me… please?" she asked him gently as she helped him dry off his hair. So he told her about the curse, his zodiac, and (reddening as he did so) his form – relating what a burden it would be and that it would be better if she stayed away.

She wouldn't hear of it. Oh no. She didn't care. Besides, his form was the cutest thing in the _world_ (he all but cringed under her grasp as she said this) so why should she have anything to fear?

She… really… _liked_… him. Did he believe her? _Please_ say he believed her.

He smiled to himself, and said that he did.

There were many happy pleases after than – and many more moments in between – but as all fairy tales in reality are bound to end, so did their little romance fall apart.

"Please… I can't take it anymore…" 

Her mind, sick with grief, had to be saved; so the gentleman saved his lady at his own expense, and watched from a distance as she built herself a new life.

But that word was not forever ruined for him. It wasn't, because there was someone else to utter it.

"Ugh. It's too high. Can you put this book back, Hatori-kun? Pretty please?"

Five years. She has cut her hair, and he thinks it looks good on her.

"Sure, Mayu… Sure."

-

**End**

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(260) 

Next: "_Sorry_" -- Kakeru rants! Kakeru RAVES! And Machi wishes that he'd just _shut up_. XD (Kakeru, Machi siblingfic)


	4. Kakeru, Machi: Sorry

Okay, personally I like this one. Why? Two words: MANABE KAKERU. I had a heckuva lot of fun writing this one, which is why I refuse to comprehend the fact that there is a scarcity of Manabe fics in (shakes head) You guys don't know what you're missing.

For **Eletriarnation**. Because it's Machi~

Enjoy guys!

/EDITED: 19.06.08

_Disclaimer_: Not mine. Credit goes to Takaya. And the insanity? Insanity belongs to _everyone_.

* * *

**Powerful Words**

4. **Sorry**

"I DON'T UNDERSTAND WOMEN!"

Machi groaned inwardly, and drew her book closer to her face. She didn't feel like looking at her half-brother at the moment.

_Talking_ to him, more so.

"I don't get it I don't get it I DON'T GEEEEET IIIIIIT! I freakin' APOLOGIZED to her, but she STILL blew me off! Machi, what am I _doing_ _wrong_?"

Machi pretended not to hear him. He wasn't really talking to her anyway. He was talking to himself and working out the problem, mentioning every single thing that happened and getting frustrated with every passing minute.

She understood that this was his way of releasing all his pent-up emotions, but darn it, WHY did he have to be so LOUD about it?

...And why did he always have to do it all over at _her_ place?

"Machi…." Sob sob. "I feel so idiotic."

_You are_, she thought privately, shifting her legs to find a more comfortable sitting position, holding her book upright as tightly as she could manage. She thought she should continue to spare herself the sight of Kakeru at his most pathetic until he had calmed down. By then she would probably be able to talk to him with a straight face, and he would be subdued enough to listen.

By the looks of things, however, the possibility of him calming down in the near future was bleak.

"Argh! I just want to KILL something right now!"

A cushioned thump told her that he had seated himself on her bed. The ripping noises that followed and the pieces of fluff floating about in the air told her that she would need to buy a new pillow soon.

She sighed. The Stage of Rage. The title rhymed and sounded pretty and all ('_Pretty_? Where'd _that_ come from?'), but it told her that she had a loooong wait up ahead. Whenever Kakeru argued with his girlfriend, he usually – for some freaking reason – attached himself to _her_; place, time, or occasion notwithstanding.

Once he had sat in during one of her classes, bawling his eyes out. _Bawling_. In front of all her classmates AND her teacher. And they had taken _pity_ on him. The class had not even had fifteen minutes of lessons when the sensei paused to ask him what on earth he was doing. And when he all but yelled his problems to the world ("MY GIRLFRIND HATES ME AND I AM THE DIRTIEST THING ON EARTH SINCE THE INVENTION OF THE GARBAGE CAN!"), the man had _tears_ in his eyes and he said, "Son, I know how you feel."

The whole affair was _ridiculous_. Her female classmates had flocked to his side, offering him handkerchiefs and sweets in a bid to 'help the poor thing feel better', and her male classmates patted him on the back, openly dissing all of womankind for their fickle natures and telling him that heck no, he WASN'T the dirtiest thing on earth since the invention of the garbage can – he was their hero!

Really. If it weren't for the fact that she could _tell_ he'd truly been crying, she would've sworn he was just making everything up just to get some kicks.

As it was, that situation had been contained quite easily because, after all, he was going through the Stage of Grief back then, and the Stage of Grief was one of the stages that were easy to handle. Kakeru often went through different emotions during these times, and even though disagreements with Komaki were a rare thing, she believed that her brother had been able to go through all the emotions ever created in a span of three arguments in five months. He was much worse than a middle-aged woman suffering from _menopause_, for goodness sake…

Sniff sniff. _Bawl_.

"Maaaaachiiiii…"

_Oh... Stage of Grief. Here we go again…_ she thought, wondering when all this insanity would end.

Sniff sniff sniff. _Baaaaawl_.

"…I ruined your _pillow!_ How _could_ I? I am such a bad brother!"

Her ears perked up at this and she listened to his next few words _very_ closely.

He hated himself. How dare he destroy his beloved imouto's one and only pillow (not technically true, as she had a spare in the closet)? He truly _was_ scum. He didn't deserve to live. He didn't deserve to be happy.

Yadda yadda yadda.

Yup. He was all vented out. It was safe.

She sighed, relieved.

When her brother was 'all vented out', it meant that he had completely resigned himself to the knowledge that he was without a doubt the lowest being in existence – not only because his girlfriend despised him, but also because of many other reasons which he himself would conveniently think of in order to further demean his character in his own eyes. At this point in the whole "My Girlfriend Rejected Me" routine, Kakeru was at his humblest. And his meekest.

Slowly, Machi began to lower her book. One-fourth of the way down, she could see minute pieces of what used to be the stuffing of her pillow, hanging in the air as if they were suspended in time. Two-fourths of the way down, and she saw the top of Kakeru's head, and a part of his shoulder covering the side of his face. Three-fourths, and she noticed that he was actually lying down on her bed… And when she lowered the book to the floor, she stared at his still form disbelievingly as she realized that he had not made any sound for the past five minutes.

"Mmm…snort …. "

Well, except for that.

"Kakeru…?"

No reply.

She stood up, and walked over to him.

"Kakeru?" she called, this time as she bent over him, closer to his ear.

Again, nothing.

_I don't believe this…_ she thought, face-palming herself in her mind, _The fool fell asleep…_

_On **my** bed._

"Maaa…" she muttered to herself, "Kakeru, you _baka_. Where am I supposed to sleep _now_?" She threw another disdainful glare at his sleeping form. Even though he was older, she always, always ended up taking care of _him_. Wasn't there a law stating that it had to be the other way around?

Ugh. Be as it may, when did _he_ ever abide by the rules anyway?

Attempts to wake him up would be futile, she knew. He would wake up eventually – ironically, he took deeper naps at school; said something about being most comfortable sleeping there or whatever. All she had to do was wait for him to awaken, kick him out (brother or no brother, he had trespassed on her privacy for far too long), and catch as much shut-eye as she could before daybreak. Simple enough.

If she wasn't so tired herself.

Looking at the peacefully dozing form of her brother only made her feel even drowsier than before, so she decided to sit at her desk. At least there she would have her back to him for most of the part. Maybe she'd be able to pass the time studying…

The last thing she remembered was her vision blurring for a split second as she opened up one of her school books and placed it on the desk. After that, there was only the feeling of her head falling against something soft, and her eyes – heavy with sleepiness – closing upon themselves and allowing her mind the soothing sight of darkness.

That morning, her alarm clock had gone off late so she awakened fully in a panic over the possibility of receiving a tardy mark in class. She got up and was in the middle of storming through her morning habits when her memory caught up with her and she realized, with a shock, that she had been lying on her own bed. No traces of her errant brother were within sight but for the disappearance of the pillow that he had mutilated. Upon closer inspection, however, she found it under her desk, stuffed with a single piece of crumpled paper which she unfolded and read:

_Machi,_

_Congratulations on finding the hidden treasure!_ ('_Treasure_?' she thought, '_Had he even considered me not seeing this? For all he knew, I might've ended up throwing it away._')

_I still feel really bad about this pillow…Let me make it up to you. After school, let's head for the shopping district and get you a brand new one! It'll be on me. Anyway, I think I found a store that you might be interested in. It has a lot of those anime stuff that you like so much._

_Don't leave school without me or I'll hunt you down._

_Toodles!_

_- Kakeru The Black Avenger_

Machi was, in a word, speechless. She stared at the crumpled piece of paper for the longest time, and… giggled to herself. After the part about anime was a rather obscure figure which she had mistaken for an erasure. A second glance proved it to be a rather horribly drawn Mogeta wearing a mask, a feathered cap, and a cape – all black – and smiling a demented smile while doing the peace sign.

It was all so disproportional that she just _had_ to laugh.

Whatever he had claimed to be good at in using his hands, Kakeru was definitely not an artist.

Still, it was a rather sweet thing to do. It had touched her. Her brother was still very much a thoughtful person, even when he brooded about his problems and generally seemed to be thinking of himself – and ONLY himself – twenty-four seven.

She resolved to help him patch things up with Komaki – no matter how troublesome he would be later on.

**End**

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(1634)

Next: "_Yes_" - Kyou could not understand why this girl was ALWAYS agreeing to things. (Kyou, Tohru, and bit - a _very _small bit - of Yuki)


	5. KyouRuKi: Yes

I... have been neglecting this. Oopse. XD I blaaame Aiiiiiiir Geaaar. And my Machine Project. 'Toopid C language.

Anyway, we resume with some more KyouRu drabbles. Enjoy! (and this is where you all say "Itadakimasu!" Why? Because fanfiction is mentally edible. XD Happy eatin' folks!)

_Disclaimer_: Fruits Basket does not belong to me. (Whoa, it's a straightforward disclaimerXDD)

* * *

**Powerful Words**

-

5. **Yes**

-

Yes. Sure. Why not? Right away!

Kyou could not understand why this girl was ALWAYS agreeing to things, and he believed that it was more an impulsive act than a truly honest one. Not that Tohru wasn't honest. She was. She was TOO honest. Too nice. Too agreeable.

And very, very polite about it.

Which was why he suspected that she went through half the things people asked her to do without really thinking about the consequences.

Tohru was an impulsive helper. Even if that was a nice thing about her, he couldn't help imagining that one day this trait would turn against her and get her into a trouble that she couldn't handle.

Wait. Scratch that. She was so spineless that there was no trouble that she COULD handle, and sometimes it worried him _sick_. So sick that it had come to the point that he could no longer eat lunch without feeling like barfing it all up. And he paid good money for his food too!

So of course it was the logical solution that the only way to enjoy his well-earned lunch break and get his money's worth of nourishment was to lend the girl a hand.

"Oh! Kyou-kun!"

"Just shut up and tell me where to put these."

"But–"

"_Listen_. The sooner this gets done, the sooner we can eat, so can we just _get this over with_ already?"

"Uh… Okay. They go right over there."

At least she was smart enough to accept help when it was offered.

"First Souma-kun, now Kyou-kun too! I'm so happy that you two came to help!"

…_What? '**Souma**-**kun'**?_

"Stupid Cat. Stop copying whatever I do. It is very unclassy."

"Tch – who'd wanna copy a tightwad like _you_? I'm just here so I can EAT peacefully."

"Ugh…believe it or not, I am too."

-

**End **

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(305)

Next: "_No_" - It seemed like all he was saying these days was "No"... (Yuki, Student Council, and insanity) One-shot.


	6. Student Council, YukiChi: No

Originally intended to be YukiChi, but the Student Council sorta took over. Not that I'm complaining. Oh yeah, this is my first time writing Nao and Kimi (hope they came out right). I swear, this group has so much fanfic potential. Why isn't anyone exploiting it?

My rants aside... Enjoy the fic! ITADAKIMASU!

_Disclaimer_: No.

* * *

**Powerful Words**

6. **No**

It seemed like all he was saying these days was "No". Not an actual, outright "no" but a form of it.

"I'm sorry, but I have to refuse."

(_No, I will not go out with you_)

"I don't see you that way."

(_No, I don't like you as you like me_)

"But we can be friends, if you like. I don't mind."

(_Nor do you have any hope of my changing my sentiments to compliment yours_)

He sighed as the girl he'd rejected gave him a watery smile and took off. To find her friends, no doubt, and tell them all that 'that Yuki is the absolute _worst'_. He got that a lot, he believed, and he knew that sometime today, he'd be getting dirty looks in the halls and in particular classrooms as he did a routine public announcement that afternoon.

It wasn't as if he could do anything about it, but...that was his fifth rejection in less than a week.

_The girls are getting bolder..._

He sighed.

_I wish they wouldn't do this._

Pity was usually given to those who had received the rejection, rather than to those who had given it, but Yuki was beginning to believe that sort of practice was unfair. It was _disconcerting_ having to tell someone that you didn't share a mutual liking for one another.

And he knew he would never get used to it. Ever. Even though he'd already denied five girls in less than a week. Even though coming face-to-face with a blushing female classmate was a situation that he'd become familiar with. _Never_ would he get used to it. Never, never, never.

He was in the middle of his third sigh when a head poked out of the door that led to the Student Council office.

"President? Have you finished...?"

"Yeah," he said, giving the Council treasurer a half-hearted smile. "I'm sorry for the – ah – interruption, Machi."

The gap between the door and its frame widened, revealing the slight form of Kuragi Machi. "It's all right," she said, brushing back dark bangs. "I was practically finished with my report anyway." And a pause in which her eyes seemed to peer straight into his soul. "You made her cry too...?"

He reddened, looked down, nodded, and let out another sigh. There was no use in hiding it, anyway. "I hate this."

_I wish it would all end…. I don't like making other people feel miserable._

But what choice did he have? Pretending to return the affection would be just as bad as tossing their feelings aside. And he did try to soften the blow; he offered his friendship.

_So why? Why do they insist on making **me** out to be the bad guy?_

A hand suddenly appeared out of nowhere and delivered a well-placed flick right at the center of his forehead.

"WAH–!" He recoiled, stumbling over his feet, feeling his balance tip wildly out of proportion, and knowing he would hit the ground in a moment–

When something braced his shoulders, and a loud voice from behind him said, "Whoa there, Yun-yun, that was some reaction! Oy, Machi, didn't I tell you to be _extra gentle_? You know how delicate Yun-chan is!"

"...I didn't think he'd react so violently."

"Ahhhh! Has Machi bruised Yun-yun's delicate face? How terrible of you, Machi! As punishment, you will have to do ALL of Kimi's paperwork for today!"

"That is the most preposterous punishment I've ever heard of! Kuragi-san, don't listen to her. She has no _authority_ to dump all her work on another person."

"Nyaaaaaaah, shut-up, Chibi-kun! Kimi does SO! And Yun-yun agrees–" And a girlish face framed by long black hair shot up right in front of him, coming closer and closer with each punctuation as if he was peering through a camera and someone else was tinkering with the zoom-in button "–right, Yun-yun? RIGHT? Isn't Kimi right?"

Words simply couldn't have adequately expressed what he felt right then and there.

Completely overwhelmed (as he was apt to feel whenever he was in the company of 'these people'), Yuki lifted his palms and made as if he was fanning the girl away.

"Space," he managed to rasp out when she merely stared at him.

"He means 'get out of the way', you idiot," Nao brazenly translated, and he appeared within Yuki's line of sight and made Kimi move a few steps backwards.

"Upsie-daisy!" came Kakeru's sing-song voice above the female secretary's high-pitched protests, and Yuki felt himself being eased back onto his own two feet. Kakeru himself appeared by his side a few seconds later, groaning and massaging his arms in a highly exaggerated manner. "Man, Yun-yun, for a delicate little thing you sure are HEAVY! I mean, I KNOW you were just leaning and stuff but MAN! I thought my arms were gonna shrivel up and DIE! Thank goodness Chibi-suke over there moved Kimi so you had space to stand, ne?"

Yuki grabbed both sides of Kakeru's face before those hints of a bright, shiny, infuriating grin could evolve into a full-fledged one.

And, smiling himself, he pinched those cheeks hard and slo-o-o-owly pulled them apart.

"You," he said cheerfully, "have a wonderful talent for **pissing me off**."

"YEEEEOOOOOWH! YUH-YUH, LEGGGOOOH!"

"Ooooh," Kimi gasped from where she'd been arguing with Nao. Her eyes widened and her fingers partially covered her open mouth. "Yun-yun's _Double-pinch Face Platter._"

"_The_ Double-pinch Face Platter?" Nao repeated under his breath, a rare note of awe in his tone. "Are you serious? How long has it been since he's done one of those?"

Machi looked down a moment, and then said, "Two months, six weeks, and a day..."

The three looked on pityingly at their Vice President.

"Maybe Kimi should lend Kakeru some facial cream later. Last time his face was all achy and red."

"Don't, Toudou-san. He deserves it."

"…"

"But doesn't Yun-yun look like he's having fun? Kimi thinks Yun-yun is secretly sadistic."

"Don't be ridiculous. Souma-sempai is just teaching Manabe-sempai a well-needed lesson in _discipline_. I'm quite sure he will finish at any moment now."

"..."

"YUUUH-YUUUUH! MEEEEEHRCYYYY!" – writhing in agony.

"**Suffer, you scumbag**." – smiling darkly.

"Mmmm… Kimi still thinks Yun-yun is secretly sadistic."

"Right..." Nervous laughter. A sadistic Yuki wasn't a pretty sight to behold. "Kuragi-san, since you're not doing much, you go over and resc– ah, _remind_ the sempais that we have some announcements to prepare for this afternoon."

"EH? How come Chibi-kun can tell Machi what to do but Kimi can't? UNFAAAAAAAAAIR!"

In a flash of protests and cries of foul play, the two secretaries resumed their argument, and the poor council treasurer was left filled with guilt for being solely responsible for the senseless squabbles before her.

Yuki, in the meantime, was getting tired. The spurt of anger that had spurred him into becoming Kakeru's current source of pain had ebbed away much quicker than he had anticipated, which disappointed him somewhat – he thought his Vice President could use a little bit more disciplining.

"You are an idiot," he stated, giving Kakeru's now bright-red cheeks another hard squeeze before releasing his grip on them.

The dark-haired boy wasted no time in putting some distance between Yuki and himself, and dove behind a very startled Machi.

"Kakeru, what –?" his half-sister started.

"You will not come another inch closer to me, understand!" he yelled, pointing a shaking finger at the grey-haired person who he now considered as his worst enemy, his other hand clamped tightly on Machi's head. Unconsciously, he was forcing her to bend it sideways, into a position that was all but painful.

"Manabe-sempai!" Naohito yelled from where he was fighting off Kimi's attempts to hit him. "You're hurting Kuragi-san! GET OFF HER!"

Watching, horrified, as the treasurer's head dipped lower and lower, Yuki stepped forward, "Kakeru –"

"BACK!"

"I –"

"BACK!"

"But Machi, she's –"

"BAAAAAAAAACK!"

Machi's head tilted a fraction, and flinching, she uttered a tiny, "_Itai_."

"Hey she's seriously getting hurt there, Kakeru…"

"I SAID STAY BA– OOOOOOW!" Yuki stared as Kakeru immediately released his victim and started hopping around in circles, clutching his left foot. "Ow! Ow! OW!" He glared at the girl who was calmly rubbing her neck. "You didn't have to kick my shin THAT hard!"

She replied by looking at him expressively.

Yuki averted his gaze, but Nao beat him to the words. "You had it coming, sempai," he said, walking over to them, his face slightly smug due to the fact that he'd won his argument.

"Kakeru fights with Yun-yun everyday, but hurting a girl is bad," Kimi, who had been making faces at Naohito's back, nodded sagely.

Kakeru frowned at all of them, first uncomprehending, then peeved. "Gah, I can't take this anymore," he sighed heavily, "Everybody's ganging up on me all of a sudden! Definitely not cool! I'm outta here!" He stalked off, hands in his pockets, cheeks still ruddy from their encounter with Yuki's fingers. "And if Yun-yun needs another distraction from his hectic life, don't bother to call me, ungrateful idiots!"

Yuki blinked. _Distraction?_

"Ahhh, that guy is a handful," Nao groaned, rolling his eyes when Kakeru was gone. He turned and headed for the council room, calling over his shoulder, "President, in case you've _forgotten_, we still have to prepare for that public announcement this afternoon. I say we leave him and begin the preparations. I think I'll start right now…"

"Kimi will help too! Kimi will make sure Chibi-kun doesn't mess up!"

"For YOUR information, Toudou-san, I do NOT mess up!"

And the door shut to another one of their trivial arguments.

Yuki turned to the only other person who was accompanying him in the hallway. "Um, Machi, what did Kakeru mean by 'distraction'… Ah!" He mentally rapped himself on the head for his rudeness and approached her, worried. "Does your neck still hurt?"

The girl shook her head, her long, dark hair whipping in strands across her face, and kept her gaze prudently on the ground. "He… saw…" she said softly – so softly that Yuki almost missed it. "Um… He saw that you were… upset." A pause, then she met his gaze with her steady one. "I… saw too. Because you didn't notice when the others came out of the room."

"…So you thought you'd wake me up?" Yuki asked gently, remembering the flick that he'd felt on his forehead prior to all the chaos that had followed.

"His idea," Machi said, quickly looking away again, her hair covering most of her face, and Yuki guessed that she had meant her irreverent older brother.

_Well… Regardless of what she says…I still feel I ought to thank her…_

"Um, President?" He looked up, slightly surprised, to see that she was still determined to not look at him. "I think it's okay if you make them cry. Sometimes crying helps people to become a little wiser."

(_A little wiser_)

_Yeah…_

He smiled.

Somehow, with that in mind, I think I'll be able to face those dirty looks that I'll have to see…

"Thank you, Machi."

She nodded, and walked off. "I'll go get Kakeru for you, President. Please help Sakuragi-san and Toudou-sempai in the mean time."

"Yeah, I will."

_Yeah…_

_Saying 'no' is hard…_

_But it can't possibly be all that bad._

**End**

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(1852)

Next: "_Help_" - There is a message – almost telepathic – that can be exchanged between two people. (Kyou, Arisa)


	7. Kyou, Arisa: Help

Thanks to the people out there who reviewed and said they liked the concept of this series of fics. You people are an _inspiration_.

Hehe, I like this. I was inspired by a thread that **Rabid Lola** (as Arisa) and **Riyuji** (as Kyou) were doing over at Winglica, so I sorta based this drabble on it. It's not a romantic pairing thing or whatever, but if you choose to see it that way, then who'm I to stop you?

Disclaimer: Never mine

* * *

**Powerful Words**

7. **Help**

There is a message – almost telepathic – that can be exchanged between two people; like the tap-tap-taping of a telegraph sending messages in morse code, except quieter. More discreet.

In a way, he had communicated that message, and it had reached her. _Her,_ of all people…

It was difficult to tell who of the two was more surprised. What had begun as a seemingly innocent form of banter had evolved into something more complex and confusing, something that made them both stop to think a while, pause, then mentally shout a "WHAT?" that reverberated for quite a long time in their minds.

_Did I just say what I think I said?_

He went red, a bright shade that went well with his orange head.

_Did I just understand what I think I understood?_

She had been struck dumb for a second, and for once her brain did not issue for her a snappy retort.

_WHAT_?

Ridiculous!

Preposterous!

Impossible!

_We are **relating**?_

If shock hadn't gotten to either one of them first, they would've laughed themselves hysterical… but there was a time for that, and a time for serious things.

_You really do dig her, eh?_

_Yeah… Yeah I do._

Serious moments don't last long, as this one proved. They were at it again – at each other's throats with teasing words and quick retorts; maybe even a light punch or two. As always. As usual. Acting like nothing's changed.

And nothing did change, really. They'd just come to an agreement. Maybe understood each other a little more.

_I'll kill you if you mess her up._

_Heh. Bring it, Yankee._

**End **

**

* * *

**(270)

Next: "_Nothing_" - It's a phrase of dismissal, and he can see through hers. (Haru x Rin Drabblette)


	8. HaruRin: Nothing

Is it just me or are these drabbles getting vaguer and vaguer? Yeah, uh, try reading in between the lines...?

I intended this to be a Haru x Rin, but as the two are never directly mentioned, this can also pass for an Aki x Gure... I think. Well, whatever. Itadakimasu, guys!

_Disclaimer_: For my own personal safety, I must respectfully decline having ownership over anything and everything Fruits Basket. Except for, maybe, the idea for this drabble.

* * *

**Powerful Words**

-

8. **Nothing**

-

"It's nothing."

A phrase of dismissal, usually accompanied by a note of finality, that most men and women are apt to use whenever they want to cover up for a matter that they want to keep to themselves.

"It's nothing" – they say. _She_ says, when, in fact, she means the opposite.

He has learned to see through it… No, he has always seen though it. Back then, right now. To him, she is as transparent as glass.

"It's nothing," she repeats, brushing back her dark hair, vexed.

He cocks his head to one side admiringly (she's cute when she's mad) and catches her hand, smugness in his tone. "You don't mean that."

Her glare is her one last line of defense, and he shatters it with a knowing grin.

-

**End**

* * *

(129)

Next: "_Maybe_" - The Rabbit is hopeful. (Momiji, Hatori)


	9. Momiji, Hatori: Maybe

This came about 'cause I wanted to try writing a Hatori-Momiji guardian-ward themed fic. Neither manga nor anime expounds on their relationship, so I thought I'd give it a whirl. XP The drabble is set before the chapter in which Momiji appeares in the guy's uniform.

Hm... One more and I'll be finished for this year. Awww. I'll definitely try to write more (gotta find more word prompts), but after the tenth chapter, updates will come much slower. Depressing news aside... On to the drabble! Itadakimasu!

_Disclaimer_: Fruits Basket belongeth not to me

* * *

**Powerful Words**

-

9. **Maybe**

-

The Rabbit is hopeful.

Too hopeful, some say.

His optimism and childishness are a weakness, but the doctor knows them for a shield. A protection against the harder aspects of life that had plagued him before, during, and after _that_ incident.

His guardian notes that he has done surprisingly well at coping with the lack of a family.

"What do you plan to do now, Momiji…?" 

The boy is silhouetted against the early morning light.

A black uniform is draped over one of his arms.

"I guess I'll grow up now."

He looks over his shoulder and grins briefly, half-heartedly.

His guardian in the meantime closes his eyes, and leans back into his chair, his hands forming a steeple at his chest. His own smile is a melancholy one.

_Truly, this one is the strongest of us…_

Out loud, he says, "Good career choice."

"I guess," the boy replies, sticking his tongue out in a manner reminiscent of previous years. But he turns his face back towards the light, and murmurs, "If I do… then maybe…"

-

_Maybe…_

_Just maybe…_

_She will choose **me**…?_

-

"Maybe…" he murmurs; his mind is a mile away.

"Maybe," his guardian agrees, his eyes understanding.

-

**End  
****

* * *

**

(201) 

Next: "_Silence_" - "I don't think he's even aware of how hard he's fallen for her..." (Mabudachi Trio fun, implied ToriMayu)


	10. Mabudachi Trio: Silence

Last story of the lot... Advanced Merry Christmas guys!

This was friggin' fun to write. Dang, I miss doing Mabudachi Trio fics. Aaaaah... I have to get on to starting that ToriMayu claim I took over at otp-100, but as you people can see, I'm procrastinating. Anyway, itadakimasu, my good people! Enjoy the fic!

_Disclaimer's_: Fruits Basket does not belong to me. Rather, it belongs to Takaya Natsuki.

* * *

**Powerful Words**

10. **Silence**

Hatori was quiet for a very long time, but he wasn't contemplating the beautiful weather or the sunny skies. He looked quite…disturbed.

Opposite him, the two men who were his guests exchanged glances, re-examined his troubled profile, and exchanged glances again. Slowly, tiny grins widened to disproportional lengths.

"This is serious, Aya."

"Serious indeed, Gure."

"I don't think he's even aware of how hard he's fallen for her."

"Ha'ri has never allowed himself to think of such things after Kana-kun."

"We must awaken him then!"

"Un! Posthaste, posthaste!"

_I can **hear** you two, you know…_

The doctor wondered briefly why he even asked them to come in the first place. It wasn't as if he had any pressing matters to tell them…

"Tsk, tsk. You are so _hopeless_, Haa-san."

And yet…

"He is! Even more than I am, and that is not like you at all, Ha'ri! I _demand_ that you wake up this instant and see Mayu-kun for who she is!"

What they implied pounded itself into his brain.

Several times over.

In a none too gentle manner.

"…Oh my, are you _blushing_, Haa-san?"

_If looks could kill… If only looks could kill…_

**End**

* * *

(194)

This is almost like a dialogue fic. Hah. Definitely proof of how lazy I am. XD

/ EDIT: 07.01.10  
No extra stories until I feel like it. This thing will go under **Complete** for now. Thanks for reading!


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